Nicolas Roche says the success of the Irish thus far at the World Championships, and of the young riders abroad earlier in the season, is no accident (Photo: Toby Watson)
By Brian Canty
In Ponferrada
Nicolas Roche is targeting a top 15 placing in tomorrow’s individual time trial (TT) at the World Championships in Ponferrada, Spain.
The Tinkoff-Saxo man rode Sunday’s team test and had to settle for fifth, just 11 seconds off the podium.
The Irishman admitted to now feeling the effects of another hard season, with the recent Tour of Britain in particular having left him a little fatigued.
However, after Ryan Mullen’s silver medal in the U23 TT yesterday and Michael O’Loughlin’s 8th place in the junior race against the clock today, Roche said he would be going all out in an effort to add to the good feeling in the Irish camp.
Advertisement
“I’m feeling okay, I think Sunday’s time-trial was good to open up,” he told stickybottle.
“After the Tour of Britain I was really tired and needed a few days to take it easy. And coming into the team time-trial last weekend we did some pretty intense work and then the effort itself; but that’ll stand to me tomorrow.”
While not in the same form as last year, Roche said he will go all out tomorrow to add to the atmosphere building in the Irish camp.
While conceding he was not in the same shape as this time last year, he was still feeling reasonably good.
“I think last year I rode a perfect time-trial,” he said of his 13th place in Florence.
“I was able to really put out the power so I’m going to have to think about a plan tonight and see where I have to put it down. And I have to try and stabilise it.
Of the 47 kilometre course that awaits him at 1.36pm Irish time tomorrow he said: “You have some long straights, so getting into an aero position will be very important; and getting the high speed up on the main roads.
“Then the last 15k is actually pretty hard. It’s a lot more than a drag, it’s actually a proper climb and it goes over 10 per cent in some parts. So it’s more than a drag. If it was in Ireland it’d be called a mountain!”
Related News
A long term servant of Ireland, Roche says the national set-up is always improving; seen here riding the Worlds in 2010 in Geelong, Australia (Photo: Sirotti)
Roche said he had been hugely impressed with Mullen and O’Loughlin.
“I’ve been following them both for the last year and I was watching live yesterday and was like ‘nooooo’ when I saw Mullen was just pipped for the gold.
“But second in the world is brilliant. And Michael as well has been so strong this year. He won a race in France recently and has been there in the Nations Cups and winning stages of the Junior Tour.
“He’s shown he’s one of the best juniors in the country this year and it was great to see him up there again today. And also Mark Downey; he was very solid today.
“I think both of them did a great ride and it’s great to see that they’ve come from the Nicolas Roche Team too of course.”
Roche is no stranger to being a part of Irish teams at major championships and he feels the atmosphere and set-up has improved each year.
“I’m repeating myself when I say this is the best atmosphere yet, because I seem to say it every year,” he laughed.
“The set-up has been so good; it’s getting more organised every year. And it’s so great to be a part of such a team; they’ve put us in really good condition for the championships.”
He and the rest of the riders appreciated all of the preparation, adding the fact the national squad extends down to youth riders in the Talent Team 2020 outfits was vital investment in the future.
“Okay, so not everyone is going to be a champion. But the higher the numbers, the higher the proportion of good riders you’ll get.
“It’s taken a few years, there’s no magic to it but slowly but surely the riders are coming and right now there’s a brilliant generation.”
Topics
